Chapter 13: Shyam’s Vanishing Act

Shyam vanished, as if dharti nigal gayi ho. Alive or dead, koi nahi jaanta. Even if Jitendra wanted revenge, what use?

Police searched the nadi, fields, bus stand, but nothing.

Jitendra’s gussa had nowhere to go. He could only hug his surviving son and cry, telling everyone, again and again, about his last raat with his wife—just like purani kahaniyon ki widows.

He told it with such dard and details, har sunne wale ka dil bhar aata.

Even paanch saal later, when I sat with Jitendra in the thana, I could remember his kahani, and from those tukde, almost a Zee TV-style drama would form in my mind.

Like those serials—sobbing violins, maa behosh ho jaati hai, sab slow motion.